‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Season 2 Review

This review was made possible by Popped receiving an advanced screeners of the first 2 episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 from Disney+.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 adapts the second instalment from Rick Riordan’s best-selling series of the same name, and sees the titular character (played by Walker Scobell) return to Camp Half-Blood one year later to find his world turned upside down. His friendship with Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) is changing; he learns he has a cyclops for a brother, Grover (Aryan Simhadri) has gone missing, and camp is under siege from the forces of Kronos. Percy’s journey to set things right will take him off the map and into the deadly Sea of Monsters, where a secret fate awaits the son of Poseidon.

Returning to the World of ‘Percy Jackson’

As a big fan of the book series, reading them during my pre-teen years, building up to acquiring The Heroes of Olympus from my secondary school library up until the final book released in 2014, I was beyond excited when this series was initially announced in 2020, before being officially greenlit in early 2022.

Looking back, The Sea of Monsters was one of my favourite books of the series. Its daring plot sees Percy, Annabeth, and newcomer Tyson (Daniel Diemer) quest across monster-filled seas to retrieve the Golden Fleece and save Camp Half-Blood. Along the way, they battle Luke’s forces, uncover family secrets, and unintentionally set the stage for a shocking return of a long-lost demigod.

The 2-year gap since the first season of the show has felt like forever, though there are already positive differences in the first two episodes alone. Again, having a huge love for the source material really allowed me to engage with this season, and binged the first four episodes with ease (though I’m limited to discussing the first two episodes in this review.)

Storytelling, Structure, and Visuals

The opening pair of episodes does a solid job of reintroducing the central trio and easing us back into the rhythm of their world. We see what Percy has been up to, how Grover’s search for Pan continues to shape events, and how Tyson’s arrival sets up some interesting developments for the gang, especially Percy. The sequencing of Episodes 1 and 2 proves once again that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is so well-suited to a TV series as opposed to the film format, with healthy ~40 minute runtimes to fully develop these characters and tell a decent story worth telling.

As a whole, the show looks really good in terms of visuals. In the first two episodes alone, we get to see Trolls, Fire Balls and of course, Stymphalian Birds – with plenty more delightful and visual spectacles to come. A clear departure from using the Volume gives this season a better leg to stand on technically, offering more real backdrops, making the show feel that more exciting.

New Faces, Old Foes, and Rising Tension

Those unfamiliar with the source material will know Aryan Simhadri’s Grover starts the season apart from the main group, but even with limited screen time in the prologue and Percy’s dream sequences, he remains a steady highlight. He slips back into the role with the same warmth and charm that made him stand out in Season 1. Leah Sava Jeffries is equally strong as Annabeth. Her chemistry with Walker Scobell clicks the moment they reunite in the Grey Sisters’ Taxi and carries cleanly through both episodes.

There is also a clear sense that Luke’s (Charlie Bushnell) darker turn is only just beginning to unfold, and the early glimpses of his antagonism hint at a far more layered menace to come later in the season, though I will save that discussion for another time.

One thing the film definitely missed from adapting the book last time was the character of Tantulus, who is played by Timothy Simons. Tantalus is introduced early on in the series, shortly after Percy witnesses Luke poisoning Thalia’s tree, which provides the protective barrier of Camp Half Blood. Tantalus is the camp’s new activities director, in the absence of Chiron, who decides to bring back the camp-wide chariot race, which, of course, ends in chaos and disaster.

As with any adaptation, and with this being the show’s second season, I would recommend people to seek out the first season before watching this, whilst the recap offers sufficient context for the episodes ahead, with a third season on the way, and a hope for Seasons 4 and 5 to be greenlit down the road, this series is building up to adapt one of the best young adult series of fiction ever, and one audiences don’t want to miss.

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Season 2 – Final Thoughts

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is a confident and engaging return to Camp Half-Blood, capturing the spirit of The Sea of Monsters with a blend of high-stakes energy, needed character growth and strong visuals that build on everything the first season established. If the season continues on this trajectory, viewers are in for something genuinely special as the stakes rise and the quest deepens.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 releases on Disney+ on December 10. Check out the trailer below: